Node and method of controlling devices connected to node

ABSTRACT

Example embodiments relate to a node and a method of controlling devices connected to the node. In example embodiments the devices may be, but are not required to be, lights.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/833,741 which was filed with the United States Patent andTrademark Office on Mar. 30, 2020 which in turn is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/993,360 which was filed with theUnited States Patent and Trademark Office on May 30, 2018 which in turnis a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/671,992which was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office onAug. 8, 2017 which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/801,522 which was filed with the United States Patent and TrademarkOffice on Jul. 16, 2015, the entire contents of each are hereinincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

Example embodiments relate to a node and a method of controlling devicesconnected to the node. In example embodiments the devices may be, butare not required to be, lights.

2. Description of the Related Art

Power over Ethernet (PoE) describes a system in which power and data areprovided to a device via Ethernet cabling. FIG. 1, for example,illustrates a system 90 utilizing PoE. In FIG. 1 the system 90 includesthree powered devices 50, 60, and 70 which may receive power and datafrom a switch 20. Typical examples of powered devices include IPcameras, IP telephones, wireless access points, switches, sensors, lightcontrollers, and/or lights. Though FIG. 1 shows only three powereddevices 50, 60, and 70, it is understood the system 90 is usable topower and control only a single device, two devices, or more than threedevices.

In the conventional art, the switch 20 may receive AC power and maydistribute the power to a plurality of ports 25 to power theaforementioned devices. In FIG. 1, the switch 20 is illustrated asincluding twelve ports 25 however it is understood that conventionalswitches 20 may include more than, or less than, twelve ports 25. Powerfrom the ports 25 is delivered to the powered devices 50, 60, and 70 viaconventional Ethernet cables 40.

In the conventional art, the switch 20 may include management softwareallowing the switch 20 to control how power is delivered to the powereddevices 50, 60, and 70. For example, switch 20 may be configured tocycle power to the powered devices 50, 60, and 70. For example, in theevent the devices 50, 60, and 70 are lights powered or controlled by theswitch 20, the switch 20 may be configured to turn off the lights, ordim them, at times when they are not normally in use. In thealternative, the switch 20 may include a management port allowing anoperator to configure the switch 20 or control the switch 20 to managedevices attached to the switch 20. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, theswitch 20 may include a port allowing a user 10 to connect thereto tocontrol the powered devices 50, 60, and 70 via the switch 20. In theconventional art, the switch 20 may alternatively be connected to anetwork which may be accessed by a user. In this latter embodiment, theuser may have access to the switch 20, and may control the switch 20 viasoftware that may run on the network or may run on a computer the useroperates.

SUMMARY

The inventor has noted that a drawback associated with conventional PoElighting systems is the potential for lights to either deactivate,simply refuse to turn on in the event a controller, for example, aswitch goes offline or loses connectivity. This could present a serioussafety issue for occupants of a building who may require light to exit abuilding. As such, the inventor set out to design a new and nonobvioustype of node having an ability to control a device, for example, a lightor an alarm, when a controller goes offline.

In accordance with example embodiments, a node may include amicroprocessor configured to control a powered device based on datareceived from a controller and, in the event data communication betweenthe controller and the microprocessor is interrupted or lost, controlthe powered device independent of the controller. It should beappreciated that in this application a powered device may be any devicethat receives power from any of the following described nodes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Example embodiments are described in detail below with reference to theattached drawing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of a conventional system employing PoE;

FIG. 2 is a view of a node in accordance with example embodiments;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are views of connected nodes in accordance with exampleembodiments;

FIG. 4 is a view of a method in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 5 is a view of a method in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 6A an 6B are view of a node in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 7A an 7B are view of a node in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 8 is a view of a system in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 9 is a view of a node in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 10 is a view of a method in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 11 is a view of a system in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 12 is a view of a system in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 13 is a view of a system in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 14 is a view of a system in accordance with example embodiments;

FIGS. 15A and 15B are a method in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 16 is a view of a system in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 17 is a view of a circuit in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 18 is a method in accordance with example embodiments;

FIGS. 19A and 19B is a method in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 20 is a view of a system in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 21 is a view of a system in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 22 is a view of a system in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 23 is a view of a passthrough in accordance with exampleembodiments;

FIG. 24 is a view of a system in accordance with example embodiments;

FIG. 25 is a view of a passthrough in accordance with exampleembodiments;

FIG. 26 is a view of a passthrough in accordance with exampleembodiments;

FIG. 27 is a view of a passthrough in accordance with exampleembodiments; and

FIG. 28 is a view of a system in accordance with example embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference tothe accompanying drawings. Example embodiments are not intended to limitthe invention since the invention may be embodied in different forms.Rather, the example embodiments are provided so that this disclosurewill be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of theinvention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the sizes ofcomponents may be exaggerated for clarity.

In this application, when an element is referred to as being “on,”“attached to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element, theelement may be directly on, directly attached to, directly connected to,or directly coupled to the other element or may be on, attached to,connected to, or coupled to any intervening elements that may bepresent. However, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,”“directly attached to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupledto” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements present.In this application, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinationsof one or more of the associated listed items.

In this application, the terms first, second, etc. are used to describevarious elements and components. However, these terms are only used todistinguish one element and/or component from another element and/orcomponent. Thus, a first element or component, as discussed below, couldbe termed a second element or component.

In this application, terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,”“above,” “upper,” are used to spatially describe one element orfeature's relationship to another element or feature only as illustratedin the figures. However, in this application, it is understood that thespatially relative terms are intended to encompass differentorientations of the structure. For example, if the structure in thefigures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” otherelements would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features.Thus, the term “below” is meant to encompass both an orientation ofabove and below. The structure may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptorsused herein interpreted accordingly.

Example Embodiments are illustrated by way of ideal schematic views.However, example embodiments are not intended to be limited by the idealschematic views since example embodiments may be modified in accordancewith manufacturing technologies and/or tolerances.

The subject matter of example embodiments, as disclosed herein, isdescribed with specificity to meet statutory requirements. However, thedescription itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent.Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed subject mattermight also be embodied in other ways, to include different features orcombinations of features similar to the ones described in this document,in conjunction with other technologies. Generally, example embodimentsrelate to a node and a method of controlling devices connected to thenode. In example embodiments the devices may be, but are not required tobe, lights and/or alarms.

FIG. 2 is a view of a node 100 in accordance with example embodiments.As shown in FIG. 2, the node 100 may include an input port 110 and anoutput port 120. In example embodiments, each of the input port 110 andthe output port 120 may be configured to receive a conventional Ethernetcable 40. Thus, the node 100 may be capable of receiving both data andpower over PoE. For example, in one nonlimiting example embodiment, theinput port 110 and the output port 120 may be, but is not required tobe, configured as a RJ45 connector standardized as an 8P8C modularconnector.

In Example embodiments, the node 100 may include a microprocessor 130.The microprocessor 130 may be configured to receive data from the inputport 110, control a powered device 180 connected to the node 100,transmit data to the output port 120, receive data from the output port120, and transmit data to the input port 110. Thus, in exampleembodiments, data may flow in two directions through the node 100.

In FIG. 2, the node 100 may include a first power source 140 configuredto provide power to the microprocessor 130 and a second power source 150configured to provide power to the powered device 180. In exampleembodiments, the first and second power sources 140 and 150 may beconfigured to receive power via conductive lines 160, 162, and 165 whichmay receive power from the input port 110. For example, when an Ethernetcable 40 is inserted into the input port 110, power may flow to thefirst power source 140 via the conductive lines 160 and 162 and may alsoflow to the second power source 150 via conductive members 160 and 165.In example embodiments, the conductive member 160 may terminate at theoutput port 120. Thus, in example embodiments, power may also flow fromthe input port 110 to the output port 120 via the conductive member 160.

In FIG. 2, the microprocessor 130 may receive data from the input port110. For example, in example embodiments, the microprocessor 130 mayreceive data via a conductive member 170. In example embodiments, themicroprocessor 130 may use the data to control the powered device 180.In addition, or in the alternative, the microprocessor 130 may transferthe data to the output port 120 via another conductive member 172. Inexample embodiments, the microprocessor 130 may also be configured toreceive data from the output port 120 and transfer this data to theinput port 110. Thus, in example embodiments, data may flow two waysacross the node 100.

FIG. 3A illustrates two nodes 100 and 200 connected to one another.Because node 200 may be substantially identical to node 100, a detaileddescription thereof is omitted for the sake of brevity. In exampleembodiments, power and data may be provided to the input port 110 ofnode 100. For example, the input port 110 of node 100 may be connectedto a conventional switch 20 via a PoE cable 40′. In example embodiments,the power from the switch 20 may flow along the conductive member 160 tothe output port 120 and through the Ethernet cable 40 to the input port210 of the second node 200. Thus, in example embodiments, power providedto the input port 110 may be used to power each of the first and secondnodes 100 and 200. Similarly, data provided to the first port 110 may beprovided to the processor 130 of the first node 100 and to the processor230 of the second node 200. This data may allow the first node 100 tocontrol the first powered device 180 and/or allow the second node 200 tocontrol a second powered device 280. Also, in example embodiments, datamay flow from the second node 200 to the first node 100 via the Ethernetcable 40 and from the first node 100 to the switch 20 via the PoE cable40′.

FIG. 3B illustrates three nodes 100, 200, and 300 connected to oneanother. In example embodiments the second and third nodes 200 and 300may be substantially identical to the first node 100 and the principlesassociated with FIG. 3A apply to FIG. 3B. In other words, power and datafrom a switch 20 may flow to the input port 110 of the first node andthe power and data may be provided to the second and third nodes 200 and300 via Ethernet cables 40. Also, data may flow from the first node 100to the second node 200 and then the third node 300 and may also flowfrom the third node 300 to the second node 200, from the second node 200to the first node 100, and from the first node 100 to the switch 20.

In example embodiments the microprocessors 130, 230, and 330 may controlthe powered devices 180, 280, and 380 based on data received from theswitch 20, however, it is conceivable that the switch 20, or any otherdevice which is configured to control any one of, or all of, the nodes100, 200, and 300 may go offline thus interrupting data communicationbetween the nodes and the switch 20. This could potentially cause asafety concern where the powered devices 180, 280, and 380 are lights.As such, the microprocessors 130, 230, and 330 may be configured so thatif communication between the controller (for example, switch 20) and anyone of, or all of, the nodes 100, 200, and 300 is interrupted, themicroprocessors 130, 230, and 330 will automatically control theirrespective powered devices 180, 280, and 380. For example, in the eventthe powered devices 180, 280, and 380 are lights, the lights may becontrolled to a certain dim level by their respective microprocessors.This would assure that persons in a room requiring light which isnormally controlled by a switch 20 receive light in the event the switch20 goes off line.

FIG. 4 is a view of a flowchart illustrating an example of the abovementioned method. For example, in FIG. 4 a predetermined time limit(PTL) and a predetermined dim level (PDL) may be set by a user andstored in some form of electronic memory, for example, an electronicdatabase which is accessible by the microprocessor. The electronicdatabase, for example, may be, but is not required to be, and electronicstorage medium such as ROM, PROM, EPROM, or an EEPROM.

In this application PTL and PDS are examples of control parameters anode may use to control a powered device. The PTL and PDL may be set (orstored), for example, when a node is initially fabricated. In thealternative, the PTL and PDL may be set by a user. The PTL, for example,may be any time limit desired by a user. For example, in one embodimentthe PTL may be one minute, in another embodiment it may be two minutes.Similarly, the PDL may also be any level desired by a user. For example,in one embodiment, the PDL may be 100%, in another embodiment, the PDLmay be about 50%.

The method of FIG. 4 may, for example, be executed by the microprocessor130 of node 100, however, it could similarly be executed by themicroprocessors 230 and/or 330 of nodes 200 and 300. As shown in FIG. 4the microprocessor 130 may control light based on data from acontroller, for example, the switch 20. The microprocessor 130 may,thereafter, monitor whether or not the node 100 has communicated withthe controller within PTL. If not, the microprocessor 130 may controlthe powered device 180. For example, if the powered device 180 is alight, the light may be controlled by the microprocessor 130 to a dimlevel of PDL.

Example embodiments are not intended to be limited by the aforementionedexamples. For example, the electronic memory may store additionalcontrol parameters. For example, as alternative to storing a PDL theelectronic memory may store a script which may be executed in the eventthe PTL is exceeded. For example, the powered device 180 may be an LEDlight capable of producing any number of colors. In this embodiment themicroprocessor 130 may cause the LED light to emit a particular color orchange from one color to another color in the event the PTL is exceeded.As yet another example, rather than causing a light to change color itmight alternatively cause a light to blink. Of course, the node 100 maybe configured to execute other actions. For example, in anotherembodiment the powered device 180 may be an alarm and the node 100 maybe configured to send power to the alarm in the event the PTL isexceeded. The alarm, for example, may be an audio alarm and/or avibration device.

In example embodiments, the node 100 may be additionally, oralternatively, configured to control the powered device 180 based on areceived periodic signal and/or lack thereof. The received periodicsignal, for example, may be understood to be a dead man signal generatedby a second node that monitors a condition of an element of a system,for example, an AC power source. In one nonlimiting example, theperiodic signal may be received from a network switch 20. In onenonlimiting example embodiment, the node 100 may have a memory encodedwith instructions that cause the microprocessor 130 to execute a scriptin the event the node 100 does not receive the periodic (dead man)signal. For example, when the powered device 180 is a light or a lightcontroller, the instructions may cause the microprocessor 130 to controlthe light or light controller to emit light at dim level which may be apredetermined dim level, when the periodic signal is not received. FIG.5, for example, illustrates an example of an algorithm which may beexecuted by the node 100 where PTL2 is a predetermined time limit forwhich dead man signals may be received by a node. For example, the node100 may be programmed so that if a dead man signal is not received every20 seconds (an example of PTL2) then the node will control a powereddevice based on a predetermined dim level and/or script.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate another example of a node 400 in accordancewith an example of the invention. The particular design of the node 400is illustrative only and is not intended to limit the invention as oneskilled in the art would recognize several ways in which a node may bedesigned to include the inventive features associated with FIGS. 6A and6B.

In the nonlimiting example of FIGS. 6A and 6B the node 400 is configuredto function as a “dead man” node usable for detecting when an AC powersource is not functioning properly. Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, thenode 400 may include a first port 410 which may be configured to receivean end of a conventional Ethernet cable. As such, the port 410 may be,but is not required to be, a RJ-45 connector, or a similar typeconnector, to receive an end of a conventional Ethernet cord.

In example embodiments, the node 400 may include a circuit usable formonitoring whether an AC power source monitored by the node 400 isfunctioning properly and if it is, to provide a signal indicating the ACpower source is functioning (an example of a dead man signal). In thenonlimiting example of FIGS. 6A and 6B the circuit receives data andpower from an Ethernet cable which may be connected to the port 410. Thepower and the data provided to the port 410 may be forwarded to anisolation circuit 415 of the circuit which may separate the power fromthe data. The data may be provided to a microprocessor 460 via aconductive line 420 and the microprocessor 460 may execute variousoperations based on the data. The power from the isolation circuit 415may be routed via a conductive line 430 to a switch 440 which mayinteract with a relay coil 470 so that when the relay coil 470 isenergized the switch 440 is closed allowing power to flow to a powersource 450 which may power the microprocessor 460. The power source, forexample, may provide 3.3 vdc to the microprocessor 460. Themicroprocessor 460 may periodically send a signal to the port 415 whenthe relay coil 470 is energized by AC power. For example, the relay coil470 may be connected to contacts 480 and 490 of node 400 which mayconnect to the AC power source. If AC power is provided to the relaycoil 470 the switch 440 may remain closed and power may be provided tothe microprocessor 460 to enable the microprocessor 460 to generate andsend the aforementioned signal to the port 410 on a periodic basis.However, if the AC power is interrupted, the switch 440 may open, asshown in FIG. 6B, thus interrupting power to the microprocessor 460. Insuch a case, the microprocessor 460 would be unable to send a signal tothe port 410.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate another example of a node 500 which may alsofunction as a dead man node. Like node 400, node 500 is provided toillustrate the inventive concepts and is provided for purposes ofillustration rather than limitation. Like node 400, node 500 may includea port 510 configured to interface with a conventional Ethernet cable.As such, port 510 may be, but is not required to be, an RJ-45 connector,or a similar type connector, to receive an end of a conventional powerover Ethernet cord.

In example embodiments, the node 500 may include a circuit usable formonitoring whether an AC power source monitored by the node 500 isfunctioning properly and if it is, to provide a signal indicating the ACpower source is functioning. In the nonlimiting example of FIGS. 7A and7B the circuit receives data and power from an Ethernet cable which maybe connected to the port 510. The power and the data provided to theport 510 may be forwarded to an isolation circuit 515 of the circuitwhich may separate the power from the data. The data may be provided toa microprocessor 560 via a conductive line 520 and the microprocessor560 may execute various operations based on the data. The power from theisolation circuit 515 may be routed via a conductive line 530 to a powersource 550 to power the microprocessor 560. For example, the powersource 550 may be configured to provide 3.3 vdc to the microprocessor560. The circuit of node 500 may further include a switch 540 which mayinteract with a relay coil 570 so that when the relay coil 570 isenergized the switch 540 is closed. The relay coil 570 may be connectedto contacts 580 and 590 which may connect to an AC power source. Thecircuit may further include a voltage and/or current monitoring chip 565which may monitor a voltage drop across the switch 540 or currentflowing through the switch 540. In the event the switch 540 is closedthe voltage drop across the switch is very low, however, if the switch540 is open, for example, because the relay coil 570 is no longerenergized by the AC source, the voltage across the switch 540 increases.The voltage monitoring chip 565 may send a signal indicative of theincreased voltage and may send the signal to the microprocessor 560. Themicroprocessor 560 may be configured to cease sending a signal to port510 in response to the signal received from the voltage monitoring chip565.

Nodes 400 and 500 share various inventive features in common. Forexample, each node 400 and 500 includes a port 410, 510 configured tointerface with a conventional Ethernet cable and each circuit includes arelay switch 440, 540 coupled to a relay coil 470, 570 usable formonitoring an AC power source. Further yet, each circuit include amicroprocessor 460, 560 configured to send a signal, on a periodicbasis, to the port 410, 510 in the event the relay coils 470, 570 areproperly energized by their respective AC sources. Further yet, eachnode 400, 500 is configured to cease sending the signals in the eventtheir respective relay coils 470, 570 are not properly energized bytheir respective AC sources. In other words, each node 400 and 500 isconfigured to monitor an AC source, send signals to a conventionalEthernet cable in the event the AC source is properly functioning, andquit sending the signals in the event the AC source fails to functionproperly.

FIG. 8 is a view of a system 1000 comprising a network switch 20, acomputer 700 connected to the network switch 20, at least one dead mannode 400′ (which may, for example, be node 400 or 500 or a variantthereof) monitoring an AC source 600, and at least one node 100configured to control a powered device 180 which may be, for example, alight, for example, and LED light or an array of LED lights. The system1000 may further include nodes 200 and 300 daisy chained to node 100 aspreviously described. In this particular nonlimiting embodiment, thenode 400′ may be connected to an AC source and the microprocessors 460or 560 of the node 400′ may be configured to send a signal, on aperiodic basis, to the network switch 20 via a conventional Ethernetcable 40 when the AC source 600 is properly functioning. The networkswitch 20 may send this signal to the computer 700 which may, in turn,send this signal to several other systems, not shown. The network switch20 may also send the signals from the dead man node 400′ to the at leastone node 100 which may be configured to control the powered device 180in a predetermined manner. For example, in the event the AC source 600fails, the dead man node 400′ would cease sending the signals on aperiodic basis and the node 100 would respond by executing a script tocontrol the powered device 180 and/or operate the powered device 180 ata predetermined level, for example, a predetermined dim level, in theevent the powered device 180 is a light, for example, an LED light.Nodes 200 and 300 may operate in a similar way.

FIG. 9 is an example of another node 100′ in accordance with exampleembodiments. In example embodiments, the node 100′ may be substantiallyidentical to node 100 except that node 100′ includes a power source 155and a relay 153. It is noted that node 100′, in another embodiment, mayomit the relay 153 and the power source 155 may be trickle charged. Thepower source 155 may be, for example, a battery with circuitry 159configured to provide power to the powered device 180 and the powersource 150 may obtain power from the Ethernet as described previously.In FIG. 9 the relay 153 may determine whether the powered device 180receives power from the power source 155 or the power source 150. Forexample, in the event power to node 100′ is interrupted, the relay 153may cause the node 100′ to receive power from the battery 155. Inexample embodiments, if a dead man signal is not received by node 100′in a timely manner, the microprocessor 130 may control the powereddevice 180 using power from the power source 155 rather than powersource 150 which is energized via power over Ethernet. In thisnonlimiting example embodiment, the power source 155 may be configuredto provide power at a sufficient level to power the device 180. Forexample, if the powered device 180 is a light emitting diode, the powersource 155 may be configured to provide power so that the light emittingdiode emits light at a desired dim level. In a similar embodiment, node100′ may be configured so that if no power flows to node 100′, forexample, at port 110, the relay 153 causes the node 100′ to be poweredby the battery 155. In this embodiment, the microprocessor 130 may beconfigured to control the powered device 180 in a predetermined mannerif it receives power from the battery 155, irrespective of receivingexpected data. For example, in the event the powered device 180 is alight, the microprocessor 130 may control power to the powered device180 so that is emits light at a certain dim level when the node 100′ ispowered by the battery 155′ rather than the system its attached to. Itis understood that certain aspects of the node 100′ may be modifiedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in node100′ the power source 155 and relay 153 may be external to the node100′.

FIG. 10 is an example of a method that may be utilized by a system thatincludes node 100′. As shown in FIG. 10, the method may include a stepof defining a predetermined time limit (PTL2) which the microprocessor130 may use to determine whether a dead man signal has been timelyreceived by node 100′. If a dead man signal is timely received themicroprocessor 130 controls a light based on data from a controller. Ifthe dead man signal is not timely received the microprocessor 130activates the relay 153 to route power from the second power source 155(which may be a battery) to the powered device 180 which may be a light.

FIG. 11 is a view of a system 2000 in accordance with exampleembodiments. As shown in FIG. 11, the system 2000 may be comprised of adata generator 2100 (for example, a gateway), a network switch 2200, aPoE network switch 2300, a node 2400, and powered device 2500, forexample, an LED array, connected to the node 2400. In exampleembodiments, the data generator 2100 may generate data which may bedelivered to the network switch 2200. The data, for example, may be sentperiodically, for example, every 1 millisecond, 1 second, 2 seconds, orwhatever is desired by an owner of the system 2000. On the other hand,the data may not be generated periodically. In example embodiments thenode 2400 may be connected to the PoE network switch 2300 by aconventional Ethernet cable. As such, the node 2400 may receive bothpower and data from the PoE network switch 2300 and may use the powerand data to power and control the powered device 2500. In thenonlimiting example of FIG. 11 the data generator 2100 and the PoEswitch 2300 may be powered by an A/C power supply with a backup 2600 andthe network switch 2200 may be powered by an A/C power supply 2700 whichdoes not have a power back up. In example embodiments the A/C powersupply with backup 2600 may or may not be UL 924 rated.

In the embodiment of FIG. 11 the data generator 2100 may be configuredto send “expected data” to the network switch 2200 which in turnforwards the “expected data” to the PoE switch 2300 which in turnforwards the “expected data” to the node 2400. In example embodiments,the data generator 2100 may be configured to send the “expected data” ona periodic basis, for example, every one second, two seconds, threeseconds, or whatever is desired by the system owner. In this example,the “expected data” may be embodied as a “heartbeat signal,” which is anelectronic signal generated on a periodic basis. On the other hand, theexpected data may be generated on a nonperiodic basis and therefore mayresemble an electronic signal which includes “expected data” which mayor may not be sent on a periodic basis. In example embodiments, the node2400 may be configured to control the powered device 2500 based on datareceived from the PoE switch 2300. In addition, the node 2400 may befurther configured to automatically control the powered device 2500 ifit fails to receive the “expected data” for more than a predeterminedtime period. For example, if the node 2400 fails to receive the“expected data” for more than ten seconds (or whatever is consideredsuitable by the system owner), the node 2400 may control the powereddevice 2500 automatically. For example, the node 2400 may control thepowered device 2500 to generate light at a predetermined dim level ormay execute a script to control the powered device 2500. In the exampleof FIG. 11, it is possible power to the system 2000 may be interruptedfor a period of time. However, since the data generator 2100 and the PoEswitch 2300 are connected to an A/C power supply with backup 2600, thedata generator 2100 and the PoE switch 2300 may continue to receivepower from the A/C power supply with backup 2600. By virtue of theconnection to the PoE switch 2300, the node 2400 may also receive powerfrom the A/C power supply with backup 2600 to power the powered device2500. However, in the example of FIG. 11, because the first networkswitch 2200 may be connected to an A/C power supply 2700 without abackup power, the A/C power supply 2700 may cease providing power to thenetwork switch 2200. If the network switch 2200 does not receive powerfrom the power source 2700 the network switch 2200 may go offline and/orbe unable to forward the “expected data” from the data generator 2100.As such, if power to the system 2000 is disrupted and/or the A/C powersupply 2700 fails to deliver power to the network switch 2200, and/orthe network switch 2200 goes offline, the “expected data” would not flowfrom the network switch 2200 to the to the PoE switch 2300 and thereforewould be unable to flow to the node 2400. If the power to the networkswitch 2200 is down for too long, for example, longer than a preset timevalue, such that the “expected data” is not received by the node 2400within a preset time value, the node 2400 may control the powered device2500 as described above.

In FIG. 11, the powered device 2500 may, in one embodiment, not receivepower from the node 2400. In this nonlimiting example embodiment, thepowered device 2500 may receive power from another source, not shown.For example, the powered device 2500 may be connected to a battery oranother type of power source, for example, AC power. In this nonlimitingexample embodiment, the node 2400 may send control signals to the device2500 to control the powered device 2500 in the event the node 2400 failsto receive expected data. For example, the powered device 2500 could bea light powered by AC power and the node 2400 may, in the event it doesnot receive an expected data, may send a control signal to the powereddevice 2500 to adjust its dim level.

FIG. 12 is a view of a system 3000 in accordance with exampleembodiments. As shown in FIG. 12, the system 3000 may be comprised of adata generator 3100 (for example, a gateway), a PoE network switch 3200,a node 3300, and a powered device 3400, for example, an LED array,connected to the node 3300. In example embodiments, the data generator3100 may generate data on a periodic basis, for example, every 1 second,2 seconds, 3 seconds, or whatever is desired. On the otherhand, this isnot critical to the invention since the data generated by the datagenerator 3100 does not have to be generated on a periodic basis. Inexample embodiments the node 3300 may be connected to the PoE networkswitch 3200 by a conventional Ethernet cable. As such, the node 3300 mayreceive both power and data from the PoE network switch 3200 and may usethe power and data to power and control the powered device 3400. In thenonlimiting example of FIG. 12, the PoE switch 3200 may be powered by anA/C power supply with a backup 3600 and the data generator 3100 may bepowered by an A/C power supply 3500 which does not have a power back up.In example embodiments the A/C power supply with backup 3600 may or maynot be UL 924 rated.

In the embodiment of FIG. 12 the data generator 3100 may be configuredto send “expected data” to the PoE switch 3200 which in turn forwardsthe “expected data” to the node 3300. In example embodiments, the datagenerator 3100 may be configured to send the “expected data” on aperiodic basis, for example, every one second, two seconds, threeseconds, or whatever is desired by the system owner, however, the datagenerator 3100 is not required to send the “expected data” on a periodicbasis. In example embodiments, the node 3300 may be configured tocontrol the powered device 3400 based on data received from the PoEswitch 3200. In addition, the node 3300 may be further configured toautomatically control the powered device 3400 if it fails to receive the“expected data” for more than a predetermined time period. For example,if the node 3300 fails to receive the “expected data” for more than tenseconds (or whatever is considered suitable by the system owner), thenode 3300 may control the powered device 3400 automatically. Forexample, the node 3300 may control the powered device 3400 to generatelight at a predetermined dim level or may execute a script to controlthe powered device 3400.

In the example of FIG. 12, it is possible power to the system 3000 maybe interrupted for a period of time. However, since the PoE switch 3200is connected to an A/C power supply with backup 3600, the PoE switch3200 may continue to receive power from the A/C power supply with backup3600. By virtue of the connection to the PoE switch 3200, the node 3300may also receive power from the A/C power supply with backup 3600 topower the powered device 3400. However, in example embodiments, becausethe data generator 3100 is connected to an A/C power supply 3500 withouta backup power, the A/C power supply 3500 may cease providing power tothe data generator 3100. If the data generator 3100 does not receivepower from the power source 3500 the data generator 3100 may go offlineand/or may be unable to generate or send the “expected data” to the PoEswitch 3200. As such, if power to the system 3000 is disrupted and/orthe A/C power supply 3500 fails to deliver power to the data generator3100 and/or the data generator 3100 goes offline, the node 3300 maycontrol the powered device 3400 automatically as described above.

FIG. 13 is a view of a system 4000 in accordance with exampleembodiments. As shown in FIG. 13, the system 4000 may be comprised of adata generator 4100 (for example, a node powered via PoE) which may beconfigured to generate data, a first PoE network switch 4200, anintermediate electronic device 4300 (for example, a gateway), a secondPoE network switch 4400, a node 4500, and powered device 4600, forexample, an LED array, connected to the node 4500. In exampleembodiments the data generator 4100 may generate data on a periodicbasis, for example, every 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, or whateverperiod of time is desired. However, the invention is not limitedthereto. For example, rather than generating data on a periodic basis,the data may be generated on a nonperiodic basis. In example embodimentsthe node 4500 may be connected to the PoE network switch 4400 by aconventional Ethernet cable. As such, the node 4500 may receive bothpower and data from the PoE network switch 4400 and may use the powerand data to power and control the powered device 4600. In thenonlimiting example of FIG. 13, the data generator 4100 may be connectedto the first PoE network switch 4200 by a conventional Ethernet cable.As such, the signal generator 4100 may receive power from the first PoEnetwork switch 4200 and data may flow between the signal generator 4100and the first PoE switch 4200. The second PoE switch 4400 and theintermediate electronic device 4300 may be powered by an A/C powersupply with a backup 4800 and the first PoE network switch 4200 may bepowered by an A/C power supply 4700 which does not have a power back up.In example embodiments the A/C power supply with backup 4800 may or maynot be UL 924 rated.

In the embodiment of FIG. 13 the data generator 4100 may be configuredto send “expected data” to the first PoE switch 4200 which in turnforwards the “expected data” to the intermediate electronic device 4300which in turn forwards the “expected data” to the second PoE switch 4400which in turn forwards the “expected data” to the node 4500. In exampleembodiments, the data generator 4100 may be configured to send the“expected data” on a periodic basis, for example, every one second, twoseconds, three seconds, or whatever is desired by the system owner. Onthe other hand, the data generator 4100 may not be configured to sendthe “expected data” on a periodic basis. In example embodiments, thenode 4500 may be configured to control the powered device 4600 based ondata received from the second PoE switch 4400. In addition, the node4500 may be further configured to automatically control the powereddevice 4600 if it fails to receive the “expected data” for more than apredetermined time period. For example, if the node 4500 fails toreceive the “expected data” signal for more than ten seconds (orwhatever is considered suitable by the system owner), the node 4500 maycontrol the powered device 4600 automatically. For example, the node4500 may control the powered device 4600 to generate light at apredetermined dim level or may execute a script to control the powereddevice 4600.

In the example of FIG. 13, it is possible power to the system 4000 maybe interrupted for a period of time. However, since the intermediateelectronic device 4300 and the second PoE switch 4400 are connected toan A/C power supply with backup 4800, the intermediate electronic device4300 and the PoE switch 4400 may continue to receive power from the A/Cpower supply with backup 4800. By virtue of the connection to the PoEswitch 4400, the node 4500 may also receive power from the A/C powersupply with backup 4800 to power the powered device 4600. However, inexample embodiments, because the first network PoE switch 4200 isconnected to an A/C power supply 4700 without a backup power, the A/Cpower supply 4700 may cease providing power to the first PoE networkswitch 4200. If the first PoE network switch 4200 does not receive powerfrom the power source 4700 the first PoE network switch 2200 may beunable to power the signal generator 4100 and/or forward the “expecteddata” signal from the signal generator 4100. As such, if power to thesystem 4000 is disrupted and/or the A/C power supply 4700 fails todeliver power to the first PoE network switch 4200, the node 4500 maynot receive the “expected data” and may control the powered device 4600as described above.

FIG. 14 is a view of a system 5000 in accordance with exampleembodiments. As shown in FIG. 14, the system 5000 may be comprised of adata generator 5100 (for example, a node powered via PoE), a first PoEnetwork switch 5200, a second PoE network switch 5300, a node 5400, anda powered device 5500, for example, an LED array, connected to the node5400. In example embodiments the node 5400 may be connected to the PoEnetwork switch 5300 by a conventional Ethernet cable. As such, the node5400 may receive both power and data from the PoE network switch 5300and may use the power and data to power and control the powered device5500. In the nonlimiting example of FIG. 14 the signal generator 5100may be connected to the first PoE network switch 5200 by a conventionalEthernet cable. As such, the data generator 5100 may receive power anddata from the first PoE network switch 5200 and data may flow betweenthe data generator 5100 and the first PoE switch 5200. The second PoEswitch 5300 may be powered by an A/C power supply with a backup 5700 andthe first PoE network switch 5200 may be powered by an A/C power supply5600 which does not have a power back up. In example embodiments the A/Cpower supply with backup 5700 may or may not be UL 924 rated.

In the embodiment of FIG. 14 the data generator 5100 may be configuredto send “expected data”, for example, a “heartbeat signal,” to the firstPoE switch 5200 which in turn forwards the “expected data” to the secondPoE switch 5300 which in turn forwards the “expected data” to the node5400. In example embodiments, the data generator 5100 may be configuredto send the “expected data” on a periodic basis, for example, every onesecond, two seconds, three seconds, or whatever is desired by the systemowner. On the other hand, the data generator 5100 may not send the“expected data” on a periodic basis. Nevertheless, in exampleembodiments, the node 5400 may be configured to control the powereddevice 5500 based on data received from the second PoE switch 5300. Inaddition, the node 5400 may be further configured to automaticallycontrol the powered device 5500 if it fails to receive the “expecteddata” for more than a predetermined time period. For example, if thenode 5400 fails to receive the “expected data” for more than ten seconds(or whatever is considered suitable by the system owner), the node 5400may control the powered device 5500 automatically. For example, the node5400 may control the powered device 5500 to generate light at apredetermined dim level or may execute a script to control the powereddevice 5500.

In the example of FIG. 14, it is possible power to the system 5000 maybe interrupted for a period of time. However, since the second PoEswitch 5300 is connected to an A/C power supply with backup 5700, thePoE switch 5300 may continue to receive power from the A/C power supplywith backup 5700. By virtue of the connection to the PoE switch 5300,the node 5400 may also receive power from the A/C power supply withbackup 5700 to power the powered device 5500. However, in exampleembodiments, because the first network PoE switch 5200 is connected toan A/C power supply 5600 without a backup power, the A/C power supply5600 may cease providing power to the first PoE network switch 5200. Ifthe first PoE network switch 5200 does not receive power from the powersource 5600 the first PoE network switch 5200 may be unable to power thedata generator 5100 and/or forward the “expected data” from the datagenerator 5100. As such, if power to the system 5000 is disrupted and/orthe A/C power supply 5600 fails to deliver power to the first PoEnetwork switch 5200, the node 5400 may control the powered device 5500as described above.

The above example systems are illustrative only and are not meant tolimit the invention and those of ordinary skill in the art would readilyappreciate the inventive concepts disclosed herein may be adapted toother systems. FIGS. 15A and B illustrate an example of a method whichmay be implemented by any one of the nodes described in thisapplication, for example, nodes 2400, 3300, 4500, and 5400. The methodis provided for illustrative purpose only and is not intended to limitthe invention.

As shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B the method may be executed by a node thatreceives both power and data over a conventional Ethernet cable. Forexample, any one of the previously described nodes, for example, nodes2400, 3300, 4500, and 5400, may include a port configured as a RJ45connector standardized as an 8P8C modular connector or some othersimilar port useable to connect with a conventional Ethernet cable. Inexample embodiments, the node may include circuitry to extract the powerand data provided at the port and provide at least a portion of thepower to a driver that may control a powered device (for example, an LEDdriver that drives and LED array) connected to the node and data to amicrocontroller of the node. The data may contain control commands (forexample, LED user commands) and/or “expected data”. In the event thedata includes control commands the microcontroller may store outputvalues as a “last user command.” In this method, the expected data may,in fact, be an LED user command.

In example embodiments, the microcontroller may be configured to performemergency check operations. For example, in the event themicrocontroller receives “expected data”, the microcontroller may set adecaying emergency countdown to a user-preset number of seconds, forexample, five seconds. The microcontroller may then execute an emergencycountdown timer. In this operation, the microcontroller may deprecatethe clock once every predetermined period, for example, one second, andreduce a countdown timer by the predetermined period of time. In theevent the emergency countdown is equal to zero the microcontroller mayautomatically control the powered devices. For example, in the event thepowered device is an LED array, the microcontroller may control the LEDarray to have a certain dim level, run at a certain electrical current,or execute a script. On the other hand, if the emergency countdown isgreater than zero, the microcontroller may control the powered devicesbased on the “last user command.”

In systems 2000, 3000, 4000, and 5000 the nodes 2400, 3300, 4500, and5400 were provided power from switches 2300, 3200, 4400, and 5300 whichwere powered by A/C power sources having a backup. The nodes 2400, 3300,4500, and 5400 may generally only be provided power from the switches2300, 3200, 4400, and 5300. The inventive concepts disclosed herein,however, also extend to systems wherein the network switch providingpower to attached nodes is not powered by an A/C power source having apower backup.

FIG. 16 is a view of a system 6000 in accordance with exampleembodiments. As shown in FIG. 16, the system 6000 may be comprised of adata generator 6100 (for example, a gateway) which may be configured togenerate “expected data”, a PoE network switch 6200, a node 6300, and anLED array 6500 connected to the node 6300. In example embodiments thenode 6300 may be connected to the PoE network switch 6200 by aconventional Ethernet cable. As such, the node 6300 may receive bothpower and data from the PoE network switch 6200 and may use the powerand data to power and control the LED Array 6500. In the nonlimitingexample of FIG. 16 the network switch 6200 may be powered by an A/Cpower supply 6600 which does not have a power back up.

In the embodiment of FIG. 16 the data generator 6100 may be configuredto send “expected data”, for example, a heartbeat signal, to the networkswitch 6200 which in turn forwards the “expected data” to the node 6300.In example embodiments, the data generator 6100 may be configured tosend the “expected data” on a periodic basis, for example, every onesecond, two seconds, three seconds, or whatever is desired by the systemowner. On the other hand, the “expected data” may not be sent on aperiodic basis. In example embodiments, the node 6300 may be configuredto control the LED array 6500 based on data received from the PoE switch6200 (in this application, an LED array may be comprised of a single LEDor a plurality of LEDs). In addition, the node 6300 may be furtherconfigured to automatically control the LED Array 6500 if it fails toreceive the “expected data” for more than a predetermined time period.For example, if the node 6300 fails to receive the “expected data” formore than ten seconds (or whatever is considered suitable by the systemowner), the node 6300 may control the LED array 6500 automatically. Forexample, the node 6300 may control the LED array 6500 to generate lightat a predetermined dim level or may execute a script to control the LEDarray 6500. The node may also cause the LED array 6500 to be powered bya battery rather than power obtained via PoE.

In the example of FIG. 16, it is possible power to the system 6000 maybe interrupted for a period of time. In example embodiments, because thenetwork switch 6200 is connected to an A/C power supply 6600 without abackup power, the A/C power supply 6600 may cease providing power to thenetwork switch 6200. If the network switch 6200 does not receive powerfrom the power source 6600 the network switch 6200 may be unable toforward the “expected data” from the signal generator 6100 and may beunable to provide power to the node 6300. To compensate for the lack ofpower, the node 6300 may include an emergency backup circuit 6400 whichmay include an energy storage unit 6450.

FIG. 17 illustrates an example of the emergency backup circuit 6400. Asshown in FIG. 17, the emergency backup circuit 6400 may include anenergy storage unit 6450 which, in one nonlimiting example embodiment,may be a battery. The emergency backup circuit 6400 may includecircuitry to provide some power to the energy storage unit 6450 tocharge the energy storage unit 6450 when the system 6000 is notsuffering a power failure. The emergency backup circuit 6400 may alsoinclude a relay 6460 to switch power to enable the emergency backupcircuit 6400 to provide power to the LED array 6500 from the energystorage unit 6450 in the event the emergency backup circuit 6400receives little to no power.

FIG. 18 illustrates another example of the emergency backup circuit6400. As shown in FIG. 18, the emergency backup circuit 6400 may includean energy storage 6450 which, in one embodiment, may be a battery. Theemergency backup circuit 6400 may include charging circuitry to providesome power to the energy storage unit 6450 to charge the energy storageunit 6450 when the system 6000 is not suffering a power failure. Theemergency backup circuit 6400 may also include a relay 6460 to switchpower to enable the emergency backup circuit 6400 to provide power tothe LED array 6500 from the energy storage unit 6450 in the event theemergency backup circuit 6400 receives little to no power. In thisexample embodiment, so long as the input DC power receives power (from aPoE switch), then the input ordinary LED power is routed to drive theoutput to the LEDs. When power is lost, however, then the circuit routespower from the energy storage unit 6450 to the LED driver circuit whichprovides power to the LED array 6500.

FIGS. 19A and 19B illustrate an example of a method which may beimplemented by a system using node 6300 with the emergency batterycircuit 6400. The method is provided for illustrative purpose only andis not intended to limit the invention.

As shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B the method may be executed by a node thatreceives both power and data over a conventional Ethernet cable. Forexample, a node having a port configured as a RJ45 connectorstandardized as an 8P8C modular connector or some other similar portuseable to connect with a conventional Ethernet cable. In exampleembodiments, the node may include circuitry to extract the power anddata provided at the port and provide at least a portion of the power toa driver that may control a powered device (for example, an LED driverthat drives and LED array) connected to the node and another portion ofthe power to an energy storage unit that may be used to power thepowered devices during an emergency event. The circuitry may also beconfigured to provide the data to a microcontroller of the node. Thedata may contain control commands (for example, LED user commands)and/or expected data. In the event the data includes control commandsthe microcontroller may store output values as a “last user command.”

In example embodiments, the microcontroller may be configured to performemergency check operations. For example, in the event themicrocontroller receives “expected data”, the microcontroller may set adecaying emergency countdown to a user-preset number of seconds, forexample, five seconds. The microcontroller may then execute an emergencycountdown timer. In this operation, the microcontroller may deprecatethe clock once every predetermined period, for example, one second andreduce a countdown timer by the predetermined period of time. In theevent the emergency countdown is equal to zero the microcontroller maycause the powered devices to be powered by the battery. On the otherhand, if the emergency countdown is greater than zero, themicrocontroller may control the powered devices based on the “last usercommand.”

As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the method outlined in FIGS.19A and 19B may not be executed by a processor of the node 6300 sincethe node 6300 may not receive power to run the processor. In this case,one skilled in the art would readily appreciate that the relay 6460,without power, would operate so that power from the energy storage unit6450 would flow to the powered device 6500.

Example embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to limit theinvention as various modifications are intended to fall within theinventive concepts. For example, the systems 2000, 3000, 4000, and 5000may be configured so data may be pulled from an expected data source.For example, in systems 2000, 3000, 4000, and 5000 the data generators2100, 3100, 4100, and 5100 may be configured to send data in response toan input signal. For example, in system 2000, anyone of the networkswitch 2200, the PoE switch 2300, or the node 2400 may send a signal tothe data generator 2100 and the data generator 2100 may respond bysending data to the node 2400 via the network switch 2200 and the PoEswitch 2300. Similarly, any one of the PoE switch 3200 and the node 3300may be configured to send a signal to the data generator 3100 to causethe data generator 3100 to send data to the node 3300 via the PoE switch3200. Similar yet, any one of the first PoE switch 4200, theintermediate device 4300, the second PoE switch 4400 and the node 4500may be configured to send a signal to the data generator 4100 to causethe data generator 4100 to send data to the node 4500 via the first PoEswitch 4200, the intermediate device 4300, and the second PoE switch4400. Similar yet, any one of the first PoE switch 5200, the second PoEswitch 5300, and the node 5400 of system 5000 may be configured to senda signal to the data generator 5100 to cause the data generator 5100 tosend data to the node 5400 via the first PoE switch 5200 and the secondPoE switch 5300. By these examples, it is understood the inventiveconcepts disclosed herein are intended to cover systems in which datamay be pulled from a data source. In the event the pulling operationfails (i.e. the data generator fails to generate data in response to asignal sent to it by any of the aforementioned devices), the nodes 2400,3300, 4500, and 5400 may control their respective devices automatically.

FIG. 20 illustrates another example of a system 7000 in accordance withexample embodiments. As shown in FIG. 20, the system 7000 may include acontroller 7100, for example, a computer, a network switch 7200, a firstnode 7300, a second node 7400, a first powered device 7500, and a secondpowered device 7600. In this particular nonlimiting example embodiment,the network switch 7200 may be connected to the first and second nodes7300 and 7400 via conventional Ethernet cables and may provide bothpower and data to the first and second nodes 7300 and 7400 via theEthernet cables. For example, the power and data may be transmitted viaPoE. Although the example of FIG. 20 includes only two nodes 7300 and7400, the system 7000 may include more than two nodes or only a singlenode.

In the nonlimiting example embodiment of FIG. 20, the controller 7100may send control signals to the network switch 7200 which may, in turn,forward the control signals to the first and/or second node 7300 and7400. The nodes 7300 and 7400 may control their respective powereddevices 7500 and 7600 based on the received control signals. Thus, inthis nonlimiting example embodiment, the controller 7100 may control howthe powered devices 7500 and 7600 operate.

One potential failure associated with this system 7000 is thepossibility that the controller 7100 may lose power and/or go offline.To protect against this failure mode, the network switch 7200 includes aprocessor 7250 which may sense whether the controller 7100 has goneoffline or lost power. For example, in the nonlimiting example of FIG.7, the processor 7250 may be configured to monitor expected data, forexample, a control signal or a heartbeat signal, from the controller7100. In the event the processor 7250 does not receive the expecteddata, the processor 7250 may cause network switch 7200 to send controlsignals to the first and second nodes 7300 and 7400 to control themanner in which the first and second powered devices 7500 and 7600operate. For example, the processor 7250 may be configured to check forexpected data on a periodic basis, for example, every 0.1 seconds, 1seconds, 5 seconds, or 10 seconds. In the event the expected data, forexample, a control signal or a heartbeat signal, is not received withinthe periodic time limit, the network switch 7200 may be controlled bythe processor 7250 to send a control signal to one or both of the nodes7300 and 7400. The control signal may cause the nodes 7300 and/or 7400to control their respective powered devices 7500 and 7600, for example,by executing a script that may be embedded in a memory of the nodes 7300and/or 7400. In this manner, the controller 7100 may control the powereddevices 7500 and 7600 until the controller 7100 loses power or goesoffline, in which case, the network switch 7200 sends a control signalto the nodes 7300 and 7400 which thereafter control the powered devices7500 and 7600.

In example embodiments, the system 7000 may further include a secondarycontroller 7700. The secondary controller 7700 may, for example, be awall control. In this example the secondary controller 7700 may bedirectly connected to at least one node of system 7000 and/or also beconnected to the network switch 7200. The secondary controller 7700 may,for example provide control information for the powered devices 7500 and7600. For example, the powered devices 7500 and 7600 may, in onenonlimiting example embodiment, be lights and the nodes 7300 and 7400may control the lights 750 and 7600 based on input from the controller7100 or the secondary controller 7700. For example, the controller 7100may attempt to dim the lights 7500 and 7600 at night when the lights aregenerally not used. A user, however, may brighten the lights byoperating the wall controller 7700 which sends a signal to the nodeseither directly or indirectly through the network switch 7200. Asanother example, in the event the controller 7100 goes offline during atime in which the lights 7500 and 7600 are normally used, the systemnetwork switch 7200 may cause the lights 7500 and 7600 to dim. However,a user operating the secondary controller 7700 may brighten the lightsby using the secondary controller 7700 to send a signal to the networkswitch 7200 which in turn uses this information to send one or morecontrol signals to the first and/or second nodes 7300 and 7400 tobrighten the lights.

In example embodiments it is understood switch 8100 may be aconventional network switch which may have a plurality of ports to whicha plurality of cables, for example, ethernet or PoE cables may attach.These cables may connect the switch 8100 to the passthrough 8700 whichmay include ports 8720 to receive the plurality of cables. Though notshown in the figures, it is understood the passthrough 8700 may includean additional set of ports to which a plurality of nodes may attach viaa plurality of cables. Thus, while FIG. 22 shows only a single node 8200connected to the passthrough 8700, it is understood a plurality of nodesmay attach to the passthrough. Also, in example embodiments, node 8600may receive the expected signal either by wire or wirelessly and thoughit is shown in the figures as receiving the signal from node 8200, itmay receive a signal from another source.

FIG. 24 is another example of a system 8000 using an inventivepassthrough 8700*. The system of FIG. 24 is similar to theaforementioned system except that passthrough 8700* is configured withtwo inputs for one output. An example of passthrough 8700* isillustrated in FIGS. 25-26 where the passthrough 8700* includes sixteeninput ports and eight output ports. The number of ports, however, is forthe purpose of illustration rather than limitation since the passthrough8700* may have more or less than sixteen input ports and more or lessthan 8 output ports. In the instant example, eight of the input portsconnect the switch 8100 to the passthrough 8700* via cables, forexample, ethernet cables. Another eight of the input ports allow asecond switch 8500* to connect to the passthrough 8700*. Relays 8470within the passthrough 8700* may determine which input port connects toan output port. Such a passthrough 8700* has certain advantages over theprior art since this would allow data and power to flow from the secondswitch 8500* allowing an operator to take the switch 8100 offline forrepair or maintenance. For example, if switch 8100 were to go offlinepower to the node 8200 would be disrupted and node 8200 would no longerbe capable of generating the expected signal. Node 8600 would,thereafter, respond by causing the relays 8470 to route power and datafrom the second switch 8500* to node 8200 enabling node 8200 to receiveboth power and data.

For purpose of clarity, the systems shown in FIGS. 21-27 show a singlenode 8200 connected to a passthrough 8700, 8700*, however, aspassthrough 8700, 8700* may have multiple output ports it is understoodthat passthrough 8700,8700* may connect to, energize, and transfer datato multiple nodes and any one of, or all of, the nodes may be configuredto send an expected signal to node 8600 allowing node 8600 to properlycontrol its respective passthrough 8700, 8700*.

FIG. 28 is a view of another system 9000 in accordance with exampleembodiments. In FIG. 28, the exemplary system 9000 includes four nodes,though the system 9000 may include more or less than four nodes. Inexample embodiments nodes 1 and 2 may monitor various systems, forexample, mainline systems of a building and the nodes 1 and 2 may beconfigured to generate expected data, for example, a heartbeat signal.The system 9000 further includes a server 9100 that receives theexpected data and uses a database to determine which nodes theheartbeats from nodes 1 and 2 should be sent. In this nonlimitingexample embodiment, the database informs the server 9100 that heartbeatsfrom node 1 should be forwarded to nodes 3 and 4 and that heartbeatsfrom node 2 should be forwarded to node 4 only. In this nonlimitingexample embodiment, if node 1 goes offline or fails to send a heartbeatbut node 2 still sends the expected heartbeat, then the heartbeat ofnode 2 would be forwarded to node 4 and node 4 would function as usual.Node 3, however, would not receive a heartbeat and would cause node 3 tooperate in an emergency mode. Similarly, if node 2 went off line orfailed to generate expected data but node 1 operated normally (i.e. sendexpected data) then the expected data from node 1 would be routed tonodes 3 and 4 and nodes 3 and 4 would operate as usual. If both nodes 1and 2 failed to generate expected data, then no data would be forwardedto nodes 3 and 4 and nodes 3 and 4 would operate in emergency mode. Itis understood the system of FIG. 28 is not intended to limit theinvention as the nodes 1 and 2 may have data stored in it a destinationaddress of the nodes it is intended to send their respective heartbeatsto. Therefore, the inventive aspects of this instant embodiment is notintended to limit the invention.

Example embodiments of the invention have been described in anillustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology thathas been used is intended to be in the nature of words of descriptionrather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of exampleembodiments are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore,within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may bepracticed otherwise than as specifically described.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a network switch; afirst node; a powered device connected to the first node; a second nodeconfigured to receive an expected signal; an auxiliary power source; anda passthrough between the network switch and the first node, thepassthrough receiving a first power from the network switch andauxiliary power from the auxiliary power source, wherein the second nodecontrols the passthrough to shunt power from the auxiliary power sourceto the first node when the expected signal is not received.
 2. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the network switch includes a plurality ofports and the network switch is configured to distribute power to theplurality of ports.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the passthroughcomprises a plurality of relays controlled by the second node.
 4. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the passthrough includes at least one cabledirectly connecting the network switch to the passthrough, at least onecable directly connecting the auxiliary power source to the passthrough,and at least one cable directly connecting the passthrough to the firstnode.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the auxiliary power source is asecond network switch providing the auxiliary power and data to thepassthrough.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the expected signal isexpected to come from the first node.
 7. The system of claim 1, whereinthe second node is configured to shunt data via the passthrough to thefirst node when the expected signal is not received.
 8. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the expected signal is a heartbeat signal.
 9. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the passthrough includes a plurality ofrelays controlled by the second node, at least one cable directlyconnecting the network switch to the passthrough, at least one cabledirectly connecting the auxiliary power source to the passthrough, andat least one cable directly connecting the passthrough to the firstnode.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the auxiliary power source is asecond network switch.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein thepassthrough shunts data from the second network switch to the firstnode.